Teen Doesn't Eat-Never Hungry

[karenb2001]

I have a 15 year boy that has always been a picky eater.  Last year, I took him to the doctor for a physical and explained my concerns. She said as long as his weight is normal (it was in the low percentile for average) don't push food on him anymore.  To be honest, it was a relief not to argue over meals anymore.  I told him to eat when he wants, what he wants and take a daily multivitamin.  He's tall and very thin, to the point he is aware of it and tries to hide it under bulky clothing.  He has expressed he would love to gain weight, that I should buy protein drinks or anything high in calories.  My question is:  Is there a condition where someone is rarely hungry and has an aversion to most foods?  He says sometimes he gets hungry, then it passes and he's not hungry anymore.  He wants to change, but nothing looks good to eat.  I would like to add he does eat cereal and pizza with no problems and never gets tired of this diet.  He has been this way since about 2years old.  I can't seem to find anything on the internet except about anorexia, which doesn't seem right because he wants to gain weight.

[shezza14]

I am very concerned about my 14 year old son, his eating is terrible some days he doesnt eat anything but a piece of pizza but will stuff himself with sweets and energy drinks. He is painfully thin and says he doesnt like the taste of food, when researching this online the only eating disordrs you get information about are anorexia and bulimia and i would say he has neither but he definately has an eating disorder of some sort.

He waits until i am in bed and goes downstairs and gets crisps and biscuits and then stays up till about 3 or 4am and then I cant get him out of bed, at the weekends its like a power struggle between us as he would lie in bed till tea time and I dont think this is right for a teenager, he should be up and out with friends or whatever but when you speak about any of this he just has a major strop and stomps about the house as if i am in the wrong not him.

I know if I take him to the doctor he will go off on one and embarass me because he does this everywhere he goes. I just dont know what to do.

[MuirneLorien]

I used to be an anorexic and what helped me gain weight was exercise. Intense exercise really burned my energy and I found myself starving afterwards.At that point I had restricted myself long enough that I rarely felt hunger and filled up too quickly. Using those muscles and the energy will probably be a good way to eat more while gaining healthy muscle weight.

[juancarlos331]

I have the same problem. As a 17 yr old girl, being very skinny isnt looked on as too bad of a thing, but I am unsatisfied with my weight nonetheless. I am rarely hungry, eat few things, and when I do get hungry it passes quickly, just as all of you have described previously. Thankfully, I have found the answer, and a way to return my natural appetite.
I live in a state where medical marijuana is legal and recommended to patients with certain disorders, including Anorexia. NOT anorexia nervosa, the mental disease, just anorexia, the term for a lack of hunger. The cannibanoids in marijuana stimulate the body's natural hunger mechanism. I understand that many of you may not want to use "illicit drugs" on your children, but you must understand that it is a VALID medical treatment. Marijuana doesnt need to be smoked to be effective, it is perscribed for many things, including returning apettite in people with many medical conditions, such as AIDS, and cancer.
I know many of you will not be happy with this, but I am just proposing the solution that I have found. I have found help. Please at least consider it. Talk to a doctor if you live in a place where medical usage is legal.

[minchka]

I too am rarely hungry anymore. I’m an 18 year old female and I’ve always been very thin naturally, always eating small amounts of food because I fill up quickly. But lately I’ve been having on/off bouts of simply having no appetite and no desire to eat anything. Nothing sounds “good” to eat. I’ve never known what it’s like to get excited about a meal or something, like I know many people do. i’m 5′2″ and my peak weight was about 94 lbs, which was great. Right now I’m scared to weigh myself, but my low is 87 lbs. I’m probably around there right now if I were to guess. I don’t look malnourished, but I do look quite thin and people have commented on it out of the blue with things like, “You are so thin!” or the more insulting, “You need to eat!” People don’t think about it, but pointing out that someone is too thin is no different than pointing out that someone is overweight. You can tell someone, “You need to stop eating!” But it’s okay to tell someone they’re too thin and need to eat more. Don’t you think I know that?
Sorry I went off on a rant, I’m very upset about this. I’d really like a nutritionist to help me eat in a way that will be healthy for me, eating things with more calories and protein, and making sure I eat regularly. Weight loss and eating “healthfully” is stressed so much in the U.S., but what’s healthful for more than half the nation is not what’s healthful for me. I need high protein, high calorie foods. I don’t know. I’m at a loss here. I just want to have an appetite like everyone else.

[Gebhardt]

Hi

I am 35 and I am also the same. My whole life.
I went to doc's and even took steroids... Nothing helps.
I would love to gain weight but nothing helps.
And no I did not grow out of it and no therapy will help...

I work at pharmaceutical wholesale supplier and I have try ed a wide range of stuff. Nothing makes me hungry...

Have there Thyroids tested (overactive)

[therese83]

It is a phobia/psychological problem and should be treated as such.  He needs therapy.

Children who are picky eaters grow out of it, if they dont they need treatment.

At this  age and while being tall, the fridge door should be opening and closing every half hour !

[claus9]

ARE YOU A DOCTOR?